Archive for January, 2008

(editorial note: I went back and looked at this and there are portions of the pictures that are cut off…if you want to see the whole picture, click on it and it’ll enlarge)

…productive Saturday I had! Not to say that Sunday was bad but with church and a three-hour leadership meeting after church, I wouldn’t call it so much productive as endured. (sigh) It was all good, just a long day of sitting and listening which was difficult at times because my creative juices are flowing lately.

So back to Saturday. The first sign should have been when I got out of bed at 7:00 (all others were still snoozing) because I decided I wanted to make my family doughnuts for breakfast. I had made them on Christmas morning and they loved them so I really wanted to surprise them and start the weekend off happy. You tell me, do they look happy?

Then I decided that I had had it with my scrap room. The crop last weekend was a blast but then work got so crazy that I never cleaned up from the loads I brought back into the house. It was time, people.

Here is what I ended up with….I’m sooooooo happy!

At one point, I realized that all my buttons were not going to fit into one jar so I had to sit and sort them for what seemed like EVER. But I had the Sugarland CD in and I was enjoying that tremendously. Plus, I had the following little critter keeping me company:

And in the end, the buttons look sooooo pretty (I think):

At one point, Kaitlynn began to complain that she was bored and there was nothing to do. Normally my reply is: “if you are bored and there is nothing to do, why don’t we go to your room and get rid of all your boring toys? We can pack them up and send them to children who don’t think they’re boring.” But Saturday I actually had something that stopped that argument in it’s track. AND SHE SAID ‘YES’.

I needed these painted for our bathroom. That was the other portion of my productive Saturday. A few weeks back Tim had re-done the floor in our bathroom and completely painted the bathroom and bedroom (floors and ceilings). I just love it. The light blue in the bathroom looks so pretty from the brown bedroom. I wish the pictures were better in showing it off. Anyway, I needed these and she finished them.

We hung a bunch of pictures that we had taken a few weeks ago also. Ulmer Studios did them and we were so happy with them. We still need to add one more to the right but we’re waiting for another frame to come in. I love waking up and going to sleep looking at the life Tim and I have been able to make together. Love it. We also put some pictures in our bathroom of just us. Love those too but I probably shouldn’t tell you what I’m doing when I am looking at them. 🙂

When it was all said and done, I was soooo inspired I did a quick layout:

Meanwhile, my brain was running a mile a minute. But I will blog all that later. Right now, I’m off to work on a canvas…..ewwww….yep, got one (actually two) because they were on sale today at JoAnn. I will post those when they are done and I will also be sharing my thoughts….my many, many thoughts from over the weekend! I love it when there is time to be creative! So many thoughts get thunked!

…blogger. Geesh! It has been a little hectic around here so I haven’t had much of a chance to sit down and write in the past week. Not that you’re all hanging on my every word, but I’m sorry.

There are only two things right now that I can even think of to write about in this moment. The first is that I’m so glad my husband is still my buddy. It’s pretty much as simple as that. Last week there were some moments where I really had some frustration with that man but in the end, I’m so glad he is my buddy. I’m glad that after 13 years he still makes me laugh, I still make him laugh and I would still rather be with him than anyone else in the world.

The second is that I wanted to share some photos with you. We had Ulmer Studios do a photography session with our family. I absolutely love them. Maybe next time I’ll post the gallery wall we made in our bedroom….BEAUTIFUL. In the meantime, I’ll TRY to pick my favorites to show you here. It’s hard, there are so many amazing ones!

…that you are standing on the edge of something great? A time when you can tell that you are getting ready to be brought into a whole new phase of life?

I am feeling that in such an enormous way lately. Tim is giving his notice at work in two days. In two days. We thought that we would be with this company until retirement. But it seems that God is moving us (not geographically) yet again. I don’t have any answers to the more difficult questions this change entails, I just know we have to do it.

Then there is the family and ministry. If I have learned anything through walking the roads I’ve traveled, it’s this: when things get really difficult, it is usually because a change is coming. The Bible says that we “battle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities.” I swear sometimes that if there was a zipper floating in the air and you unzipped it, you’d see that battle all around you. It has been raging at my house. A discontent, a bickering spirit, it’s been here.

But all of this is happening at the same time; a time when I know change is eminent. It’s exciting. Bring it on. I know I can fight this battle and I know I can win because I know how to win. Surrender. Yep, surrender. That is how I have won each and every time. When I surrender myself to be obedient to God’s will in my life (even when I don’t understand it) I win every time. The second thing I know from this road I’ve traveled? God dreams bigger for me than I do for myself.

So over the next several weeks I know I will be learning some new things, changing and hopefully growing into a newer creation in Christ. I’m excited to see the changes in store, not because I’m unhappy where I am, but because I want to get to where I’m supposed to be.

…you may or may not know that one my goals for myself this year is to allow myself to be a little more “out there” in public. I typically can’t stand for people to notice me in public so I sneak it and I sneak out and I get my business done hopefully with no one staring. Yes, I know this is a little odd and yes, I know it stems from some things in my childhood and yes, I even know what those things are. But I don’t think it’s a huge deal except when it prevents me from being able to let go and embrace a moment. Hence, the goal.

So, this morning I took Powell to Hollywood Video to rent a game for the weekend. It’s a cold weekend here, Kaitlynn has a playdate, Alden is always busy with some project or another and Tim is at work. So the thought of getting Powell happy for a few hours so that I could scrap was very appealing. Besides, the report card he brought home yesterday was stellar so I figured the kid deserved a day of zoning out. But I digress…

We are strolling through the store by ourselves…well, we thought by ourselves until we heard this man yelling. ‘YOU WANT THAT ONE? I DON’T KNOW WHO SHE IS! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TELL ME WHO SHE IS! OK! PICK IT UP!’ Obviously, this man does not have the same affliction as I. Powell and I just looked at each other and continued on. So did the man. On and on and on the entire time we were in the store. I finally asked Powell, “do you think his child is hard of hearing?” Even the cashier rolled his eyes. That is when I had an idea (like I usually do) and I acted on it (like I usually don’t).

We got out of the store and there were a few people in the parking lot. I turned to Powell and yelled: ‘I’M REALLY GLAD YOU GOT THE GAME YOU WANTED, POWELL! I HOPE YOU’LL PLAY OUTSIDE A LITTLE TOO IF IT WARMS UP! MAKE SURE YOU SHARE IT WITH YOUR BROTHER!” Powell started laughing so hard he asked me to stop because he was afraid he would pee.

Here is another little diddy for you. Yesterday after picking up Powell for school, we had to run a few errands. So after picking up a shake at Baskin Robbins (because he wanted one and I said ‘yes’) off we went to purchase trims at the fabric store and curtains at Target. The trims are for a project that I am doing for an upcoming crop.

Now, for a moment we must digress and I need to tell you about a thing that happened a few months back. I drive Powell to school very early in the morning (we get in the car at 7:05) and it is a nice 10 minutes that we get talking about the day ahead and planning the study session that evening. One morning, I hauled all of our old magazines into the car before he woke up (I wanted to drop them off at the magazine recycling dumpster at the school). As we approached the dumpster I said : “there it is, magazine recycling” mostly to myself. I got out and dumped ’em all. When I got back in the car, Powell said, “oh my gosh Mom, when you said ‘magazine recycling’ I thought you were going to jump in it and look for ones you wanted. Thank you for donating.”

So now we are back to yesterday, standing in line at Target, thinking about my project for the crop. The man in front of me purchases a duffell bag and the cashier pulls out the long, rolled up piece of “shirt board” and puts it on the ground. I begin my transaction with her and the following ensues:

Me: Are you going to do something with that or just throw it away?

Cashier: I’m just going to dump it.

Me: Can I have it? I’m working on a project that it would be perfect for.

Cashier: Sure, here.

Powell: See Mom, this is why I think you dive in dumpsters after magazines.

…but you are reading a thinker’s blog so every once in a while, just indulge me a little. : )

I was driving home this morning at 7:15 (yes, they expect 11-year olds to think and function and learn at 7:30 am) and a commercial came on the radio. It was for notreligion.com. Typically, I enjoy these commercials because they tell little stories or bits of sermons that really make you think (something a thinker likes). Anyway, this morning it was talking about how 24 Christians die each day for their faith. “Four people have died before you finish your caramel macchiato” the guy said. He went on to say “one day you will be toe to toe with them (meaning in Heaven); what will you say when they ask what your faith cost you?”

Now why do we do that?!

Why do we assume that because some people are called to missions we should all be passionate about missions or because some die for their faith we should all die for our faith or because this person has a heart for the homeless we should all go serve at the soup kitchen? OK, don’t get me wrong. All of these things are Godly, fruit-bearing acts of service that Christians should be doing. But not every Christian is called to every act. I am called to pray several hours a day. Are you? Are you less than me if you aren’t? Of course not, you are called to something else that I could not imagine doing myself. That is why we are all different parts of the body, that is why we need each other, that is why the church needs us, and THAT is because we are each “fearfully and wonderfully made” by our Creator. There has never been nor will there ever be another like you, me or my neighbor that lives down the street; there isn’t supposed to be. We are all called to basic things, read the Bible if you want to know what they are; we are not all called to carbon copy lives.

Now secondly, why do we feel the need to take everything so seriously? “When they ask you what your faith cost you what will you say?” Oh. Dear. Goodness. Are you serious? Am I supposed to walk around feeling guilty if I’m walking in a season of blessing or rest or if I have led a charmed life (which believe me I have not, I am speaking for the masses). I don’t believe that God holds those who have been killed at a higher level than anyone else. I don’t believe He overlooks their sacrafice, not in the slightest. But I believe that He honors my walk just as much as their’s. It really kind of sat wrong on my heart today because I could picture people getting down on themselves and really, for what? Because they don’t live in a country where they’re persecuted for their faith or because they aren’t called to a missions field that puts them in danger?

Lastly, why do some organizations find it necessary to focus on the side of Christianity that terrifies most people? Yes, lets win them over with gloom and doom (that’ll work). Lets make the people feel that they will need to sacrafice and lead a tortured life should they choose to follow Jesus. Again: Oh. Dear. Goodness. Have they forgotten that along with Jesus also comes restoration, healing, abundant joy, blessing, love like you’ve never known, peace, wisdom, discernment….? I know it’s not all fairy tales and lollipops but if a radio commercial is meant to inspire the masses what makes more sense: die for your faith or come to faith and receive the rewards of Jesus? No, we don’t love Jesus because we get something in return, don’t mince words here, you know what I’m saying if you know me at all.

My answer to radio guy’s extremely judgemental question? My faith gave me more than I could ever pay for it.” Amen.

I was sitting on the computer trying to get some work done when my middle one, Alden, walked into the room. He asked, “Mom, do you live in Tennessee?” I of course hesistated. If I can impart any words of wisdom or insight on my Alden it is that these kinds of questions are always followed up with some sort of “ba-da-ba-da-shing” (that’s a drum sound). So I took a breath, I knitted my brows and I said, “Alden, really? What are you doing?”

A: “Mom, just answer it, do you live in Tennessee?”

Me: (still hesitating and taking a very deep breath)

A: “Mom, I just wanted to know if you lived in Tennessee because from where I’m standing, you’re the only ’10’ I see.”